Make This Go On Forever
by CateDouglas0986
Summary: The night had gone hardly like Will had intended for it to. Will he get a chance to propose to Natalie before it's too late and tragedy strikes?
1. Make This Go On Forever

Author's note: I know this is an extremely short chapter. This story is "unique" for me in that the main plot is put into play right from the start instead of taking a few chapters to introduce. I know when I post the second chapter you'll understand why I split it up the way I did!

 _Please don't let this turn into something it's not_  
 _I can only give you everything I've got_  
 _I can't be as sorry as you think I should_  
 _But I still love you more than anyone else could_

 _All that I keep thinking throughout this whole flight_  
 _Is it could take my whole damn life to make this right...  
~Snow Patrol~ Make This Go On Forever~_

* * *

" Natalie! Wait!" yelled Will Halstead as he followed Natalie Manning outside. This was certainly a far cry from how he had planned the evening to go.

" Will…"

" I told you. Nothing happened. I've never regretted something so much," he declared.

" I believe you. Look. It's been a long day and I'm exhausted. We can talk about it

later," Natalie conceded before kissing Will then getting in her car. His heart dropped as she drove away, the box containing his mother's ring suddenly feeling much heavier.

Long after he watched her car drive away, Will reluctantly went back in to the hospital. Glancing at his watch he realized his shift had ended over fifteen minutes ago. Will quickly logged out of the hospital's system then headed for the lounge. He had just tugged on his jeans and a t-shirt when Connor Rhodes entered the room.

* * *

" What are you still doing here? I figured you'd be out celebrating after the twins' surgery," Will said as he opened the fridge.

" Long story," Connor replied, watching as Will pulled a bottle of champagne out of the fridge.

Man, that's some expensive champagne. What's the occasion?" Will pulled out the ring box and handed it to Connor.

" You shouldn't have. How did you know my ring size?" joked Connor.

" You're an ass," Will declared, snatching the ring back from Connor.

The ring. The champagne. I was planning to propose to Natalie tonight."

" Wow. I didn't realize...I'm sorry," stuttered Connor.

" She found out that Maya took me to her place after that night at Molly's with the intent of sleeping with me."

" Dr. Frisch?"

" The one and only. We kissed, but that's as far as it went."

" Sounds like we both had rough nights."

" Care to join me on the roof and drown our sorrows in this ridiculously expensive bottle of champagne?"

" Only if you don't ask any questions," Connor challenged.

" No worries. Everyone in the hospital knows you have the hots for Ava," Will said, grabbing two coffee mugs as he walked out the door.

* * *

" What time did you wind up leaving last night?" Connor asked Will the next morning.

" I slept in an on-call room. Didn't feel like playing twenty questions with Jay," reasoned Will, taking a long sip of his coffee.

" Have you talked to Natalie?"  
" Have you talked to Ava?"

" Dually noted," Connor remarked as Maggie approached the two doctors.

" Rhodes, you're on trauma today, right?"

" Yeah."

" We've got two GSWs pulling up. Bank robbery gone bad," explained the nurse.

" Who the hell robs a bank this early?" asked Will, following Connor and Maggie to the ambulance bay.

" These idiots do," declared a police officer, climbing out of an ambulance.

" Peter Hayes. 22. Exchanged fire with a bank security guard. Took two shots to the stomach," said a paramedic.

" Rhodes and Halstead. Take him to Baghdad," ordered Maggie.

" What about the other guy?" asked Will, stopping in the hall.

" It's just a flesh wound," declared a second paramedic.

" No it's not! I'm dying!" screamed the patient.

" Halstead! Get in here! I need a second set of hands," shouted Connor.

" Sorry Mr. Ferris. Maggie, put him in Trauma 2 and page Choi," Will instructed before running off.

* * *

" Hey Will. Nat called while you were upstairs with your patient," April informed Will as he stepped off the elevator.

" Did she leave a message?"

" Just for you to call her back," replied the young nurse.

" Thanks April," said Will, immediately grabbing his phone out of his pocket. Natalie picked up on the first ring.

" Hey."

" Will...I'm so sorry about last night."

" When are you on?"

" I'm actually off today. Owen and I are running errands this morning."

" Can we talk? I missed you. And Owen."

" We missed you too," she confessed.

" How about I take you two to lunch later?"

" Owen, would you like to go to lunch with Mommy and Will?"

" Pizza?" questioned the toddler from the back seat.

" Sure. We can do pizza," responded Will, smiling at Owen's request.

" I need to pay a few bills then go to the store first…" Natalie's sentence was cut short by the loud honking of a horn.

" Nat?" asked Will before the sickening sounds of metal crunching and glass shattering blasted through his cellphone.

" Natalie!" Will screamed, his heart lodging in his chest. An eerie silence fell over the phone, followed by a chorus of car alarms.

" Natalie!" he screamed once again, hoping for a response. Instead he was met with utter silence as the line went dead.


	2. Into The Fire

Author's note: From the shortest chapter to a much longer one. Enjoy, read, and review!

* * *

Come on, come on

Put your hands into the fire  
Explain, explain  
As I turn, I meet the power

This time, this time  
Turning white and senses dying  
Pull up, pull up  
From one extreme to another...  
~thirteen senses~ into the fire

* * *

" Natalie!" Will's panicked voice reverberated throughout the crowded ER causing those nearby to stop and stare.

" What's going on?" Maggie asked Will who had begun frantically pacing while dialing his phone.

" I can't get ahold of Nat," he managed to say, nervously running his fingers through his hair.

" I'm sure she just got busy with Owen," she suggested.

" No. I was on the phone with her. She...there was a wreck...I heard a wreck," Will stated in a panic, struggling to catch his breath as anxiety washed over him.

" Are you sure?"

" I've been trying to call her back. It goes straight to voicemail."

" Why don't you call Jay and see if he can help you and I'll have April check with dispatch," Maggie declared. Will numbly nodded in agreement, walking away from Maggie.  
" Dr. Halstead...this isn't social hour. Hang up the phone," ordered a clueless Dr. Stoll as he approached Will.

" Fuck off," growled an anxious Will, pacing back and forth in front of the nurse's station.

" Excuse me?" Stoll challenged before grabbing for the cell phone in Will's hand.

" Dr. Stoll, I need to speak with you immediately," Maggie said, stepping in between the two men.

" Right after I write him up for insubordination."

" Dr. Stoll!" she shouted.

" Yes Nurse Lockwood. Do you care to join Dr. Halstead in being written up?"

" He's on the phone with his brother. Will was just talking with Natalie Manning, but lost connection after hearing what sounded like a serious car crash," explained Maggie.

" Has anyone called dispatch?" Stoll asked, his demeanor suddenly changing.

" No calls have come in yet," Maggie explained as a distraught Will laid down his phone.

" Jay's trying to trace her phone," he said as April came running over.

" A call just came in over the radio. 51 is responding to an MVA at the intersection of 5th and Jasper. SUV t-boned by a pick-up truck."

" 5th and Jasper? That's not very far from here," declared Will before shedding his lab coat and stethoscope then bolting out of the ED.

* * *

Will's mind raced as he tore down the sidewalk. Natalie and Owen had to be okay. The people and buildings around him became a blur as his pace increased. The sound of a car horn honking stopped Will in his tracks. Looking around he found himself in the middle of a crosswalk. An irate taxi driver was flipping him off with one hand, the other on the steering wheel. The sound of sirens approaching nearby caught his attention, and once again Will took off, the cab driver yelling obscenities as he ran. Nothing could prepare him for what he saw as he rounded the corner. Even from where he was standing Will knew the mangled SUV belonged to Natalie. He quickly ran into the street, weaving his way around glass and metal. Will's heart felt as if it had stopped when he laid eyes on an unconscious Natalie slumped over the steering wheel.

" Mommy!" Owen's panicked voice rang out. Will turned his attention to the toddler, finding him in the backseat, still strapped snuggly in his carseat.

" Will!" shouted the child, undoubtedly reassured to see him.

" Hey bud. What happened?" asked Will, prying open the battered back door so he could access Owen.

" The truck hit us. Mama boo boo!" he exclaimed, pointing to Natalie.

" Do you hurt anywhere?" The little boy shook his head no.

Can you sit real still for me so I can look at your mommy's boo boos?" Owen nodded. Will stood and immediately began yanking on the passenger side door. When it wouldn't budge, he instinctively shattered the frail glass, crawling in through the window.

" Nat! Can you hear me?" he shouted over the sirens as firetrucks and ambulances pulled up around him. Will breathed a sigh of relief when he felt her pulse beneath his fingers. He instinctively placed his hands on either side of her head to stabilize her neck.

* * *

" Halstead! What in the hell are you doing here?" asked Matt Casey as he approached the vehicle.

" It's Natalie. I was on the phone with her when she got hit," Will explained.

" How is she?"

" Weak, but steady pulse. Other than the deep laceration on her head I can't see any other visible injuries."

" What about him?" asked Casey, looking back at Owen.

" He's got some abrasions on his neck and shoulders from the car seat harness, but other than that he looks fine," stated Will. Otis appeared from out of nowhere and climbed into the backseat.  
" Will!" shouted the toddler from the backseat as Otis leaned in and carefully lifted him out.

" It's okay buddy."

" I wanna stay with you!"

" Can you go with my friend Otis for a little bit? I need to help your mommy and then we'll all go to the hospital together, okay?," Will explained, carefully moving his hands so Brett could put a collar around Natalie's neck.

" Owen, have you ever seen the inside of an ambulance?" asked Otis, walking away with the little boy.

" We need to make room so the squad guys can get her out," Sylvie instructed.

* * *

" I'm not leaving her!"

" Halstead! Get your ass out of the car before I climb in there and drag you out!" ordered Severide. For a fleeting second Will contemplated ignoring Kelly's order, but ultimately knew it wouldn't end well if he refused. Reluctantly he crawled into the backseat and followed Sylvie out onto the street.

" You're bleeding."

" Huh?" replied Will, anxiously watching the scene unfold in front of him.

" Your arm. You're bleeding," repeated Sylvie. Will looked down to find his left bicep covered in blood.

" I must have cut it when I busted out the window and crawled into the SUV," he responded absentmindedly, oblivious to Brett who was rolling his arm in gauze. No sooner than she had secured the gauze with a piece of tape did Severide's team have the door open and a backboard ready.

" Careful!" Will yelled, trying to push past the group of firefighters.

" This isn't our first rodeo doc," quipped Hermann, holding him back. Will stood by, his anxiety building as he watched the men carefully pull Natalie from the SUV. As soon as they placed her on the stretcher, Will was by her side.

" Nat! Can you hear me?" he yelled, grabbing for her hand.

" Why don't Owen and I ride up front?" Otis suggested.

" Good idea. I don't want him having to see any more than he already has," said Will, climbing into the back of the ambulance. He watched as Sylvie carefully hooked Natalie up to various monitors.

* * *

" Her BP is low," she stated as Will pulled out his cellphone, handing it up front to Otis.

" I need you to call Maggie Lockwood for me and put it on speaker phone," he instructed as he pulled up Natalie's shirt. A large bruise was spreading across her chest, all but confirming his suspicions of internal bleeding.

" Will! Tell me you found her!" Maggie's fearful voice echoed through the ambulance.

How is she?"  
" It looks like she's got some internal bleeding. Her BP is low."

" Is she conscious?"

" No," replied Will, his heart sinking.

Maggie I need you to go up to OR 7 and get Rhodes. Physically drag him out if you have to. I don't care if he's elbow deep in the guy."

" Should I call Helen for Owen?"

" Please," he responded, the heart monitor beeping as Natalie stirred beside him.

Will grabbed the phone from Otis, hanging up as he grabbed for Natalie's hand.

* * *

" Owen…" she muttered.

" He's riding up front with Otis," Will said, happy to hear her voice.

" How...is he?"

" He's tough like his mom. Just a few scrapes."

" Will? How?"

" I ran all the way from the hospital," he explained, leaning in to kiss her cheek.

" Stomach...hurts."

" It looks like you've got some internal bleeding. Don't worry. Rhodes is waiting for us."

" Make sure...make sure he…" Natalie mumbled, her eyes closing once again.

" What's our ETA?" asked Will, looking up at Gabby.

" We're pulling up right now." He breathed a sigh of relief as they came to a stop outside the ED doors. Before Gabby could shift the vehicle into park, the back doors were opened revealing Connor, Ethan, April, and Maggie.

" Let's get her inside," Connor ordered.

* * *

" You're taking her to Baghdad!" declared Maggie, failing to hold back Will as he grabbed onto the stretcher and followed the group inside. He did his best to muscle his way into the trauma room, but found the door blocked by Ethan.

" You can't be in here."

" Like hell I can't," argued Will.

I'm the attending…"

" And she is your girlfriend. Step back. Natalie is in good hands," reasoned April.

" April...please!" he argued.

" Sorry," she responded, allowing Ethan to shut the door before she pulled the curtain, blocking Will's view.

* * *

" I think she's waking up," April commented back inside the trauma room

" Natalie! Can you hear me?" shouted Connor, attempting to elicit a response from his co-worker.

" Owen…"

" He's with Noah getting checked over," April told her reassuringly.

" Will…I need to talk to him."

" Let's get you checked out first then I'll let him back in," said Connor.

Does this hurt?" he asked, pressing just under her ribcage.

" Mmm."

" Your abdomen is slightly distended and you've got signs of ecchymosis which means you're more than likely experiencing some degree of internal bleeding. April, get me the portable ultrasound." April turned and wheeled the machine towards Connor. It only took him a few minutes to locate the injury he was looking for.

" Your liver is lacerated which is what's causing the bleeding."

" How bad?" she asked.  
" It appears to be relatively minor at the moment. I'm going to get some additional tests ordered and we'll try to keep an eye on it down here for now."

" What about the baby?"

* * *

" Dr. Halstead, I could use your help." Noah's voice caused Will to snap out of the dreamlike state he was in.

" What's going on?" he asked, feeling rather annoyed with the young intern.

" Owen won't let me touch him. He won't stop screaming for you or Dr. Manning."  
" Hey buddy," said Will, walking into the exam room across the hall from where Natalie was.

" Will!"

" This is your mommy and I's friend Noah. He's a doctor just like us and he wants to make sure you're not hurt," Will attempted to explain, taking a seat on the gurney beside Owen.

" No!" screamed the toddler.

" What if I let Noah check me out first?" he offered.

" You got a boo boo?" asked a curious Owen.

" On my arm. It really hurts, but I know Noah can make it feel better."

" Ok," agreed Owen, watching as Noah unwrapped the gauze on Will's arm.  
" It looks like you've got some glass in there," Noah observed.

"What?"

" I said, it looks like you've got some glass in there."

" I'll be right back," Will said, watching as Connor stepped out of the trauma room.

* * *

" How is she?" he asked, causing Connor to look up from the tablet he was holding.

" We need to talk," Connor simply stated before turning to a nurse.

I need you to page Maccarin STAT."

" Why in the hell are you paging Maccarin? Connor...what's going on?"

" Let's go over here," suggested Connor, ushering Will into a secluded corner.

" How is she?"

" The good news is that she's awake and asking for you."  
" What's the bad news?"

" She does have some internal bleeding that looks to be caused by a liver laceration, but that's not what concerns me. Will...Natalie's pregnant."

" That's why you paged Maccarin?" Connor nodded. A wave of nearly every emotion possible came over Will, leaving him speechless.

" I...I need to see her," he managed to get out.

" Of course," replied Connor, ushering Will towards the trauma room. Before they could enter, the door flew open.

" Dr. Rhodes! She's crashing!"


	3. God Went North

_She pulls me close_  
 _Says that she loves me_  
 _That she wishes to still be around_  
 _On the day that I marry_  
 _Tightly she holds_  
 _But the plan still unfolds_  
 _Cutting the cord from the mother_  
 _Who gave me everything_

 _If You won't save her_  
 _Please just take her..._  
 _~Nothing More~ God Went North_

* * *

Author's note: Wow. I didn't intend for there to be a two week gap in between chapters! Thank you for all of the wonderful reviews. Keep them coming!

* * *

" Dr. Rhodes. She's crashing!" Connor pushed past Will, not bothering to close the door or curtain behind him. Will was certain his heart stopped briefly alongside Natalie's. Fear consumed him, leaving him nauseated as he watched Ethan begin chest compressions. This couldn't be happening. He couldn't fathom losing Natalie or the baby. He just couldn't. Will made the mistake of looking up as Connor shocked her with the defibrillator, her body twitching as the electrical current surged through it. He quickly turned to a nearby trash can and repeatedly vomited, his nerves unable to handle the scene that was unfolding. Will could feel his cheeks grow damp as tears began falling. He slid to the floor, silently begging God to save them both. Just as he thought he would be crushed by the weight of the grief threatening to consume him, Will heard Choi announce they had a rhythm.

* * *

" Dr. Halstead." Will looked up to find Dr. Maccarin standing beside him.

I understand congratulations are in order."

" Huh? What? I mean...yes."

" I'm going to do everything in my power to ensure we keep both Natalie and the baby safe but…"

" Save Natalie. If Rhodes can't...if you can't...if you can't save them both…" declared Will, unable to finish his sentence. He managed to stand up, albeit hurriedly as Connor pushed the gurney out.

" I need to get her upstairs as quick as possible before she loses any more blood."

" Take care of them Connor. Please!" Will pleaded, tears gathering in his eyes once again.

* * *

" They're in good hands," Ethan offered, standing beside Will as he watched Natalie disappear into the elevator. In a state of shock, Will felt Ethan leading him back into the exam room Noah had been in with Owen.

" Where's Owen?" he asked absentmindedly as April walked in.

" He and Noah are watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse in the lounge," April said.

" How in the hell did you tear up your arm so bad?" Choi questioned.

" I shattered the passenger's side window out and then crawled through it, " Will replied nonchalantly. He winced in pain, looking down as Ethan carefully pulled out a large shard of glass with forceps.

" Did Maggie call Helen?"

" She did. Helen was out of town, but she's on her way back," explained April.

" I think that's the last shard of glass," declared Ethan, removing the safety glasses he had put on.

April, set me up for irrigation and get a suture kit please."

* * *

Nearly half an hour later Ethan finished closing the last cut. Will anxiously sat up, wanting to see Owen and check for news on Natalie.

" Ethan, I need to talk to you," insisted April as she walked into the exam room.

" Can it wait? I'm just finishing up," he responded, wrapping Will's arm in a bandage.

" Stoll needs you in Trauma One. I can finish this up." Ethan stood up in defeat and left the room.

" What was that about?" asked Will.

" Oh nothing," she responded dismissively, securing the edges of the bandage with pieces of tape. Will was certain she was hiding something, but he couldn't figure out what.

" Thanks April. Can you tell Noah and Owen I'll be right there? I need to call Jay back," he said, lying effortlessly.

" Sure. I'll do it as soon as I finish cleaning up." Will left the room, waiting to approach the nurse's station until April's back was turned.

" What's going on in Trauma One?"

" PD just brought in a drunk driver. They think it's the guy that hit Dr. Manning," disclosed a nurse, not bothering to look up from the computer she was working on. Fury instantly consumed Will as he bolted for Trauma One.

" What the hell is wrong with you?" he yelled, nearly tearing the curtain out of the ceiling. Before anyone could stop him, Will took a swing at the disheveled man laying on the gurney.

" You almost killed my fucking family!" Will shouted, attempting to get another swing in as Choi restrained him from behind.

" Do I need to call security?" Stoll challenged, all the while Will fought against Ethan's grasp.

" We're good," Ethan replied through gritted teeth, dragging Will into the hall.

* * *

" Damn it Choi! Let go of me!"

" What for? So you can go back in there and beat the shit out of the guy? What good will that do for Natalie and the baby?"

" None," he reluctantly conceded.

It would make me feel a lot better though!"

" Go be with Owen. I'll make sure the med students practice giving rectal exams on the guy before the police take custody." Will couldn't help but smile as he walked to the lounge. Inside he found Noah helping Owen with an ice cream cone as they watched cartoons.

" I hope it's okay he's having ice cream before lunch. Maggie brought it for him."

" I think he deserves it after the morning he's had," responded Will.

" Aside from the scrapes on his neck, everything else checks out. He might be a little sore tomorrow."

" Thanks," he said, heading for his locker. He quickly swapped out his blood stained scrubs for a t-shirt and jeans.

Owen. Grandma is on her way to get you, does that sound like a good idea?"

" I wanna stay with you and Momma!' cried the toddler, running to Will.

" Momma is getting her boo boos fixed. It's going to be a long time. I bet you Grandma will let you watch cartoons in Momma's bed."

" Okay."

" How about I give you a piggyback ride upstairs and we can wait for Grandma there?"

" Okay!" replied Owen, clamoring up on to Will's shoulders. Before they could reach the elevators a frantic Helen ran up to them.

" How is she?"

* * *

" We were just heading up the surgical floor. They took her up about 45 minutes ago. She's got a laceration on her liver," Will explained as the three of them climbed in to an elevator.

" Is that good or bad? I don't…"

" Natalie's in fantastic hands. One of the best surgeons we have is working on her. Owen here is going to be okay too. The carseat protected him from any major injuries."

" I'm hungry Grandma!"

" He's probably starving actually," commented Will.

We were going to go to lunch before the accident happened."  
" I'll make you whatever you want sweetie when we get home."

" We go get pizza tomorrow?" Owen asked Will hopefully.

" Of course buddy. I'm going to call Grandma later and see how you're doing too, okay?"

" Ok, Will," said the toddler, leaning in for a hug.

" And Grandma has my number. You can call me whenever you want to."

" Okay!" Helen dropped Owen's hand momentarily and reached to Will for a hug.

" I know your heart is hurting, more so than mine I'm sure. The love you two have is special. Call me as soon as you hear anything. She and Owen are all I have left."

* * *

Will watched longingly as the elevator doors closed on Owen and Helen. The more time he spent with the little boy Will found himself loving Owen like he was his own. With a deep breath he entered the surgical waiting area, surprised he had kept it together for so long. In front of him was a large digital screen, a list of names running down the left side. He spotted Natalie's name halfway down the list, highlighted in green which signified her surgery had begun. OR 11. It took Will a few moments to realize why the receptionist at the information desk was eyeing him suspiciously. He reached into his back pocket and flashed his ID badge at her before swiping it at the door. The doors leading to the operating rooms opened, giving Will enough time to clip the badge onto his front pocket. His heart pounded harder in his chest with each step he took. Will knew better than to try to get in to the actual OR. Hell, he surely didn't have the patience to fully scrub right now anyway. Instead he quietly slid into the OR's observation room. After watching the monitors for both Natalie and the baby's vitals for a few minutes, Will sank to the floor. He couldn't bring himself to watch the video monitor showing the surgical field. Beside him his phone chimed, a message from Jay popping up.

 **Jay (sent at 1:26p):  
I just got up to the surgical floor, but this old broad at the desk won't let me back.**

 **Will (sent at 1:27p):**  
 **I'll come up. Sit tight.**

* * *

Will stood up and reluctantly headed back towards the waiting area. By the time he got through the double doors, he found an angry Jay glaring at the receptionist. Though he wasn't keen on public displays of affection, Jay stepped forward, enveloping Will in a hug.

" I came as soon as I heard. How are you holding up?"  
" I'm uh...doing fine," he said, drawing in a ragged breath.  
" You're full of shit," declared Jay, leading his younger brother over to an empty couch in the corner.

" Last night. I never gave her the ring. I can't lose her Jay...I just can't. Not like this."

" Maggie said Rhodes is in there with her. That's got to be good, right?" Jay commented, trying to boost Will's spirits. The younger Halstead sat motionless, doing his best to not break into tears for a third time in less than 24 hours.  
" Shouldn't you be at work?" asked Will, changing the subject.  
" Voight knows what's going on. It's not an issue," replied Jay.

" Thanks man," Will responded, thankful for the support.

* * *

Hours passed by, each minute ticking by at a painstakingly slow pace.  
" I'm going to go get some coffee. Do you want some?" Jay offered, standing up.

" Sure," Will said flatly, pointing Jay in the direction of the coffee machine.

" What does it mean when her name is flashing like that?"

" Huh?" responded Will, looking up.

" Natalie's name. On the screen. It's flashing," Jay noted, watching as the blood drained from his brother's face. Before Will could answer his brother, the double doors opened and Connor stepped out.

" She's dead, isn't she?"


	4. Chasing Cars

_I don't quite know_  
 _How to say_  
 _How I feel_

 _Those three words_  
 _Are said too much_  
 _They're not enough_

 _If I lay here_  
 _If I just lay here_  
 _Would you lie with me and just forget the world?_

 _Forget what we're told_  
 _Before we get too old_  
 _Show me a garden that's bursting into life..._  
 _~Sleeping at Last~ Chasing Cats (Originally performed by Snow Patrol)_

* * *

Author's note: Did y'all really think I was going to kill Natalie? I like angst and drama, don't get me wrong. I'm a hardcore Manstead fan however so fear not. Can't wait for One Chicago Wednesdays starting September 26th! I intended for this chapter to be longer, but it seemed to feel more natural ending it where I did. No lie, I changed the last line of the last chapter right before I uploaded it! No cliffhangers...this chapter anyways.I appreciate all of the reviews. Please keep them coming!

* * *

" She's dead, isn't she?" The words spilled out of Will's mouth before he could stop himself.

" Far from it," Connor declared, taking a seat across from Will and Jay.

I flagged her name so Zanetti's idiot resident wouldn't be the one that came to update you." Will let out a sigh of relief.

" How are they?" he asked anxiously.

" They both did great. The laceration to her liver was slightly larger than what was shown on the ultrasound. I'm thinking that's what lead to her coding in the ED. It took a little longer than normal to allow for the extra precautions Maccarin had me follow, but I was able to repair the laceration without any trouble. Her heart rate and blood pressure are lower than normal, but that's to be expected."

" And the baby?"

" Maccarin got pulled into an emergency just as I was closing. I think she plans on coming to talk with you when she gets a chance. Baby showed minimal signs of distress which is encouraging. Maccarin estimates she's about 9 weeks along so obviously we'll be closely monitoring things, but all we can do right now is wait and see," explained Connor as he stood.

" Thank you," Will managed to choke out, enveloping Connor in a hug.

" Wait...hold up. What baby?" asked a confused Jay, his question falling upon deaf ears.

" I almost forgot," Connor stated, reaching into the breast pocket of his scrubs.

Maccarin wanted me to give you these." Tears once again glistened in Will's dark eyes as Connor handed him several sonogram pictures.

" Congrats," he said, before heading for the elevators.

" Okay...what just happened?" asked a clueless Jay.

" You know, for a detective you're not very bright," Will joked, handing his brother one of the sonogram pictures.

You're going to be an uncle."

* * *

" Are you sure you don't want me to stay?" Jay asked as they approached the ICU.

" I think I'll be okay for now, but could you do me a favor?"

" Sure."

" Would you mind bringing me some things from home later? Oh, and Mom's ring. It's in my lockbox in the lounge."

" What's your combo?"

" 2684."

" Of course. Do you want me to escort the driver to hell while I'm down there?" offered Jay.

" Don't kill him."

" Who said anything about killing? I'll just rearrange his face before I take him to jail," he replied innocently.

" What you do on your own time is none of my business," Will declared before walking into Natalie's room, closing the door behind him. All of the emotions he had been suppressing for the past few hours came rushing back as he sat down beside her bed. In that instant, Will realized just how close he had been to losing both Natalie and their unborn child. Neither was out of the woods, but knowing they were both alive at the present moment brought him immense comfort. Will reached for her hand, carefully intertwining their fingers together. Connor had warned him that it might take longer than normal for Natalie to come out of the anesthesia as they were carefully titrating her medications to pose as little risk to the baby as possible. As far as Will was concerned, he would stay by Natalie's side for as long as was needed.

* * *

" I could hear you snoring as soon as I stepped off the elevators."

" What time is it?" asked Will as he sat up to find Connor standing beside him.

" Almost 9:30p. I intended to stop by sooner, but the ED got slammed."

" You should have paged me," he argued, wiping sleep out of his eyes.

" Goodwin wouldn't let them. Stohl tried and she smacked the phone out of his hand."

" Is she still in her office?" asked Will, watching as Connor grabbed a pair of gloves.

" I think she left a few hours ago actually. She said she'd talk to you tomorrow about your shifts," he responded, carefully moving aside Natalie's gown to reveal a large bandage across the right side of her chest.

" Do you mind if I duck out real quick? I haven't wanted to leave her alone," Will explained.

" Of course," answered Connor, watching as Will leaned in to place a kiss on Natalie's forehead before leaving. Once Will had left, he turned back to the task at hand. Before he could fully remove the bandages to expose the incision he had made earlier in the day he felt something brush against his arm.

" Welcome back," Connor said, watching as Natalie's eyes slowly opened.

How are you feeling?"

" I've been better," she said, her voice still gravelly from being intubated earlier.

" Your body has certainly been through alot today. Do you remember anything?" he asked, pulling the rest of the bandage off.

" There was a wreck...Owen. Is Owen okay?"

" He went home with Helen a few hours ago," Connor interjected.

" What else?"

" You crashed in the ED and I wound up having to do emergency surgery to repair a laceration on your liver."

" The baby?" she asked in a panic.

" The baby is doing good. I had Maccarin in the OR with me."

" Does Will...know?"  
" He does."  
" Where is he?"  
" He went for a walk I think. He's refused to leave your side all day. Do you want me to go get him for you?" Natalie nodded. Connor threw his gloves into a nearby trash can then picked up the nearby phone, calling out to the nurse's station.

* * *

Meanwhile just down the hall, Will had just stepped out of the men's room. He stopped at a nearby coffee station, pouring himself a cup. It was then that he felt his pager buzz against his hip and wondered who would be paging him so late, especially given the situation. The coffee he had just poured fell to the floor beside him as he watched Connor's number flash across the screen. Will took off for the ICU in a dead sprint. He reached Natalie's room in record time, out of breath and worried.

" What's...wrong?" he managed to get out as Connor stepped in front of him.

" Nothing."

" Are you trying to give me a heart attack today?" Will challenged.

" She's awake," announced Connor, watching as Will's face softened. Will could feel his hand shake as he slid open the door and stepped into Natalie's room.

" Hey," she croaked.

" Hey yourself," he replied, suddenly overcome with emotion. Will quickly turned his back, not wanting Natalie to see him crying.

" Are you...okay?" Will shook his head, unable to find any words.

" Come here." He turned around, no longer able to contain his tears. He grasped Natalie's hand once again, the two of them sitting in silence while Will attempted to regain his composure.

" I thought I had lost you forever."

" Can't get rid of me...that easy," she joked, attempting to make Will smile.

" I don't ever want to get rid you. When Connor told me...I felt so helpless watching them try to save you and our baby. My world came crashing down knowing what could happen. I can't imagine losing a child...Nat when I thought I might lose you both…" his words cutting off mid-sentence, tears spilling out of his red brimmed eyes.

" I'm sorry...about last night. It was stupid. When I saw those two pink lines this morning...I was so excited to tell you."

" Last night certainly didn't go like I had hoped it would," Will stated, drying his eyes.

" What do you mean?" asked Natalie, her eyes growing heavy from the pain and sheer exhaustion.

" Later. I promise. You need to rest."

" Stay with me?" she asked sleepily.

" There's nowhere I'd rather be," he confessed, grabbing her hand and resting his other on her stomach.


	5. Come To Me

_You and me, we've both got sins_  
 _I don't care about where you've been_  
 _Don't be sad and don't explain_  
 _This is where we start again_  
 _Start again..._

 _Come to me my sweetest friend_  
 _Can you feel my heart again_  
 _I'll take you back where you belong_  
 _And this will be our favorite song_  
 _Come to me with secrets bare_  
 _I'll love you more so don't be scared_  
 _When we're old and near the end_  
 _We'll go home and start again  
~Goo Goo Dolls~ Come To Me_

* * *

 _Author's Note: Longest chapter to date! Oh my god. The ending of this chapter might be one of my most favorites' I've written. I'm almost sad that it's written and done! I won't spoil it! Thank you for all of the wonderful reviews!  
Keep them coming!  
With that being said, I'd like some input. I have two "paths" moving forward with this story. I can keep things "vanilla" aka plain and choose the safe "route", or I can write things the way I'm accustomed to and take things for a wild ride out of left field so to speak! So what would you as a reader rather see- playing it safe, or writing something more...entertaining?_

* * *

Will awoke early the next morning, his injured arm throbbing in protest as he had managed to roll over on it in his sleep. To his right Natalie slept peacefully. He yawned as he stood, his body clearly protesting the fact that he had slept in a ridiculously uncomfortable chair at her bedside all night. After placing a gentle kiss on her cheek, Will exited the ICU, in desperate need of both coffee and a hot shower. The elevator quickly traveled to the first floor, the doors sliding open to reveal a relatively calm ED. _  
_

" What are you doing down here?" Maggie asked, greeting Will as he stepped off the elevator.

" The coffee upstairs tastes like dirt," declared Will.

" You're in luck. I just started a fresh pot."

" Have I ever told you how much I love you Mags?"

" Better not let Nat hear you say that," she joked.  
How's she doing?"

" Rhodes adjusted her pain meds safely so she was able to sleep peacefully most of the night."

" That's good," she answered, watching as Will pulled the ring box from his pocket.

" Will Halstead. Is that what I think it is?" Maggie took the box from him, her eyes growing wide as she opened it.

" It was our mom's," Will explained.

" What are we looking at?" April asked as she and Ethan entered the lounge. Maggie passed the ring over to the young nurse.

" It's beautiful," she declared, handing it back to Will.

" I had planned on proposing the night before the accident, but things didn't go according to plan."

" So when are you asking her?" Ethan questioned.

" I'm not sure," he answered, placing the ring back inside the lockbox.

" Send pictures when you do," April requested.

" Will do. Now if you guys don't mind I hear a steaming hot shower calling my name," Will said, grabbing a change of clothes and his shower kit before heading for the bathroom.

* * *

Nearly half an hour later Will emerged from his shower feeling refreshed. After applying a clean bandage to his arm and pouring a large cup of coffee, he headed for the elevators, anxious to be back with Natalie.

" Hey, Mrs. Pearson is in Exam 3 wanting to know where you are," Ethan said as Will hit the up button.

" Did Goodwin get anyone to cover my shift?"

" Dr. Stohl."

" Perfect. Louise hates short men. Make sure you don't send in Monique if he needs a nurse."

" Do I want to know?"

" Monique reminds her of her ex-husband's lover," he volunteered, stepping on the elevator.

" Good to know," replied Ethan as the doors closed.

" You're awake," Will stated happily as he walked into Natalie's room.

How are you feeling?" he asked, leaning in to kiss her.

" Like I've been hit by a freight train. Can't decide if I feel sick from the surgery or from being pregnant."

" Is there anything I can do?" offered Will.

" I need an ice cold root beer," she insisted.

" Since when do you like root beer?"

" Pregnancy cravings I guess? It's not as bad as the pickles and hot sauce I craved with Owen."

" True. Let me see if I can get Maggie to bring one up from the cafeteria," suggested Will, typing out a message on his phone. Just a few second later it chimed.

" That was quick."

" It's not Maggie," he replied, swiping at the screen.

" Helen wants to know if it's okay if she stops by when she brings Owen to me."

" Of course. What are you and Owen doing?" she asked curiously.

" He was upset when he had to leave with Helen yesterday. All he kept asking was for Mommy, Will, and pizza. I promised him we'd go get pizza like we had planned to today."

" Owen's lucky to have you. He'll love having time with his Will," she responded with a smile.

* * *

" I can't imagine life without him. Or you. Or Penelope…"

" Penelope? You can't be serious!" Natalie said, laughing,

" What's so funny?" Connor asked as he walked into the room.

" Apparently Will wants to name the baby Penelope. Penelope Halstead."

" I'm partial to Connor Halstead," stated Rhodes with a smirk.

" Not happening," Will and Natalie declared in unison.

" I had to try," joked Connor as the door slid open and Maggie entered.

" Did someone order a rootbeer?"

" Have I ever told you how much I love you?" Natalie professed, eagerly taking a large drink before Connor could stop her.

" Normally I'd lecture you about staying on a strict clear liquid diet for a few days, but something tells me I don't want to battle pregnancy hormones."

" Smart man," replied Maggie.

I've got to get back downstairs. I'll come see you later." Connor waited until Maggie left before turning back to Will and Natalie.

" Maccarin and I have been debating on how to handle the next few days. Normally I'd already have you out of bed and walking, but Maccarin is concerned with exposing the baby to any unnecessary stress. Leaving you on bedrest though isn't ideal since it would increase the likelihood of blood clots developing."

" Sp what's the plan then?" Will asked anxiously.

" We'll obviously take things slowly and start by getting you up in a chair. After that, once you're able to tolerate being upright Maccarin wants you on spontaneous electronic fetal monitoring just to keep an eye on things."

" Sounds manageable," replied Natalie, eagerly finishing off the root beer.

" I'll leave you two to argue over baby names," Connor said, leaving Will and Natalie to themselves.

* * *

" You look exhausted. I'll come back after I have lunch with Owen," Will suggested.

" I'm waiting for my pain meds to kick in. Don't go yet," she pleaded.

" What should we talk about?" he asked, sitting back.

" Are you mad?"

" About what? The baby?" She nodded.

" Why would I be mad Nat?" he asked, taking her hand.

I mean, the timing obviously could be better, but when is there ever a perfect time?"

" True."

" I won't lie. Before I came back to Chicago, I wanted nothing to do with settling down or having kids. All I wanted to do was party, get drunk, and get laid. After I slept with my boss's girlfriend and he beat the shit out of me, I realized it was time for a change. I reluctantly accepted the position here and camped out on Jay's couch until I could afford to ship my furniture to Chicago. I can still remember that first day in the ED when I saw you. I was sitting at the nurse's station, wallowing in my angst over giving up a potentially lucrative career in plastic surgery. Then you came out of a trauma room and the rest was history." Will was met with silence as he looked over and found Natalie asleep. He glanced at his watch and realized he would have just enough time to meet with Goodwin before Helen brought Owen to him. Will lightly kissed the hand he was holding then backed out of the room.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, Will left Goodwin's office feeling relieved with how accommodating she had been. Even though they hadn't always seen eye to eye in the past, the two had grown to respecting one another. Dr. Stohl was less than thrilled with the changes, but Sharon had kindly reminded him that she had the power to force him to work 3rd shift for the foreseeable future and he didn't utter another word. Will would resume his normal morning shifts until Natalie was discharged then they'd revisit the situation as she healed and the pregnancy progressed. He would have to work out something with Helen and Owen's nanny, but for the meantime all Will was focused on was getting to the ED so he could get Owen. He instantly spotted the two near the waiting room, his heart nearly bursting out of his chest as the toddler ran to him.

" Will!" Owen shouted, jumping into Will's arms.

" Hey buddy! I missed you!"

" I miss you too! And Momma."

" Did he do okay last night?" Will asked, turning to Helen.

" I gave him some Motrin before he went to bed, but other than that all I've heard about is pizza with his Will. How's Natalie?"

" She was sleeping when I left her. The pain is still intense but becoming slightly more tolerable. If she wakes up before we get back, see if you can have a nurse help her into a chair.

" Okay," she replied, giving Owen a kiss before Will hoisted him onto his shoulders.

" If you're not in a hurry later we can talk about my schedule to make sure Owen has someone there for him until we come home." Helen leaned in and hugged Will.

" Thank you for loving and caring for them both so much."

" They're my life. I wouldn't have it any other way."

* * *

After the two of them had eaten more pizza than humanly possible, Will grasped onto Owen's hand as they left the pizzeria.

" What do you say if we go get Mommy a present to cheer her up?"

" A new car?"

" For you or Mommy?"

" Me," answered the toddler with a giggle.

" I think Mommy is trying to call us," Will said, pulling his cellphone out of his pocket, the screen flashing with with a FaceTime request. Will lead Owen over to a nearby park bench before swiping to open the call. Connor's face initially popped up on the screen while he tried to adjust the camera so they could see Natalie.

" We're using my phone since Nat's was destroyed in the crash," he explained.

" I'll get that taken care of this week," Will offered absentmindedly.

" Anyway, someone wants to say hi," he said, managing to flip the camera to show Natalie who was sitting in a chair beside her bed.

" Mommy! I miss you Mommy!" Owen shouted.

" I miss you too Owen! Are you having fun with Will?"

" I am! We going to go get you a present."

" Aw! Thanks sweetie."

" And I'm gonna get a new car!"

" Make sure you tell Will thank you," she instructed, staring at Owen's face longingly.

" We have to go. I'm being paged," Connor's voice said, the screen turning black.

" I miss Mommy," repeated the toddler.

" What if we go see Mommy and surprise her? Can you help me surprise her?" Owen shook his head up and down.

" Then let's go!"

* * *

" Okay buddy. Do you remember what your job is?" Will asked the toddler as they walked off the elevator.

" Hold this," he responded, waving a piece of posterboard.

" Are you seriously going to do this?" asked an anxious Maggie as she and April approached the two.

" Owen. I'm going to go get Mommy, okay? Can you stay here with Maggie and April for a few minutes?" The little boy nodded. Will continued down the hallway then turned into Natalie's room to find her still sitting in her chair.

" What's wrong?" he asked, noticing her sullen face.

" I was hoping you would have figured out how to sneak Owen in to see me."

" Are you up for taking a walk? Maybe that will cheer you up?"

" Only if you'll take this damn catheter out," she pleaded.

" Just as long as Rhodes knows it wasn't my idea," Will responded, grabbing a pair of gloves.

I love you to death...but this has got to be the least sexy thing we've ever done."

" Just wait til the baby comes and you've got to help me in and out of those ridiculous granny panties," Natalie laughed as Will laid a towel under her gown.

" Ready?" Natalie nodded, breathing a sigh of relief once he had removed it.

" Have I told you lately that I love you?" she asked as Will discarded everything.

" Once or twice. Are you ready to do this?" Once again Natalie nodded, taking a deep breath.

Just hold on to me, okay?" he instructed, putting his arms out for her to grab on to. She slowly pulled herself up, her body wavering as she did so. After a few deep breaths, she looked into Will's brown eyes.

" Let's do this," Natalie stated, suddenly feeling determined.

" Hold onto the IV pole with your right hand then wrap your left arm around my waist," he explained, interlocking his arm with hers to provide added stability. The two moved forward at a painstakingly slow pace while Natalie's body found its center of gravity.

* * *

" Do you think you can make it around the corner? I left Owen's present for you at the front desk accidentally.

" I'll try," she offered, taking each step carefully and slowly. About halfway down the short hallway, Will noticed her steps wavering.

" Are you okay?"

" I'm feeling a little lightheaded and tired," Natalie lamented.

" You did great," Will offered, helping her into a wheelchair.

" Hey guys!" April called cheerfully, right on cue as she approached the two.

Yvonne mentioned you left something at the nurse's station. Why don't you run ahead and Natalie and I will follow?"

" Are you sure? The ER must be slammed," Will said nonchalantly.

" I'm on break," she replied.

Go ahead." Will jogged off, knowing that Maggie and Owen waited just around the corner. His heart beat rapidly in his chest, his anxiety level skyrocketing. Unable to contain his excitement, Owen bolted forward the moment Natalie turned the corner.

" Mommy!"

" Oh my god. Owen. Baby!" she exclaimed, reaching down carefully to hug her son.

" I got you a present," he said excitedly, handing Natalie a stuffed purple bear.

" Thank you sweetie. Mommy missed you so much. Will...did you know?" He nodded yes.

* * *

" Wait Momma! Will got you present too," Owen proclaimed, running back to Will and Maggie. He proudly thrust the sign he had been holding towards Natalie who read it, suddenly in pure shock.

" Does that? Am I…" she said, struggling to find her voice, processing each and every word on the sign. It read 'Will You Marry My Will?' Tears streamed down her face as she looked up, Will now kneeling before her, holding out his mother's ring.

" Natalie Elizabeth Manning. Will you marry me?"


	6. Then

_Author's note: I am so so so so so sorry I haven't updated. I started a fulltime job last week and I'm beat by the end of the night. I had some time this weekend to finish the chapter up, but I haven't had the energy to post haha. Anyways...here it is. Things will get more serious next chapter- this one went in a different direction than I had planned. You'll get more Will/Owen interaction and how that affects his and Natalie's relationship. Pretty sure most of the chapter will be a "timehop" and we'll see how things go once everyone is home under one roof. I have a massive cliffhanger planned that's very likely to be the ending of the next chapter so sorry in advance! Please continue to read and review...oh and while I'm at it...the season premier. I screamed. A lot. So much Manstead!_

* * *

 _I can just see you_

 _With a baby on the way_  
 _I can just see you_  
 _When your hair is turning grey_  
 _What I can't see_  
 _Is how I'm ever gonna love you more_  
 _But I've said that before_

 _And now you're my whole life_  
 _Now you're my whole world_  
 _I just can't believe_  
 _The way I feel about you girl_  
 _We'll look back someday_  
 _At this moment that we're in_  
 _And I'll look at you and say_  
 _And I thought I loved you then..._

 _~Brad Paisley~ Then_

* * *

" Natalie Elizabeth Manning, will you marry me?" Will watched as a speechless Natalie wiped tears away from her glistening eyes.

" Yes," she managed to get out. A beaming Will leaned in, carefully placing the ring on her left hand.

" I love you so much," he stated, kissing her deeply despite the fact everyone was watching.

" Do you need me to help you guys get back to her room?" offered April

" That would be great," replied Will as Owen sleepily buried his head into Will's shoulder.

" Did you know about this?" Natalie asked April.

" Maggie and I were in on it once Will told us his plan," she confessed.

" Make sure you put her on fetal monitoring," instructed Will as he sat down with a now sleeping Owen. Even though the fetus was still young, April easily zeroed in on the heartbeat, securing the monitors.

" Baby definitely has a strong heartbeat. My money is on a girl," she quipped before tucking Natalie's blankets in around her and leaving. For a few moments Will and Natalie sat in silence, listening to the whooshing of their unborn child's heartbeat.

" Did you tell Helen?" Will asked quietly so he wouldn't wake Owen.

" I don't want to say anything to her or Owen until I'm out of the first trimester and we have a better picture of where things stand," she said sleepily, admiring the ring that adorned her left ring finger.

" Do you like it?"

" I do. It's beautiful," she answered.

" I had intended to propose the other night. Instead Rhodes and I sat on the roof and polished off a bottle of ridiculously expensive champagne."

" So that's what you meant yesterday."

" Mhmm."

" Today was absolutely perfect."

" My mom would have loved you," Will commented.

" Is this her ring?"

" It is. Before she died, she insisted that Jay and I take it to save for the right girl. It was her mother's ring and she wanted us to keep it in the family. Plus I'm fairly certain she put it in a safe deposit box so our dad couldn't pawn it for beer money."

" I love you Will Halstead."

" I love you more than you'll ever know Natalie Manning," he responded with a smile. His heart filled with blissful joy as he watched her fall into a deep sleep while the sound of his baby's heartbeat and Owen's soft breathing filled the air. As far as he was concerned, this was perfection.

* * *

" I know I didn't see you with a toddler in the ICU," remarked Sharon as she approached Will outside of the hospital some time later.

" I don't know what you're talking about," he said coyly.

" I hear congratulations are due all around. A new baby and an engagement."

" Thanks Mrs. Goodwin. They're my life," Will reiterated.

" I think I like the 'family man' side of you Dr. Halstead," she declared before getting in her car and driving off. Soon after Jay pulled up to the curb in his Jeep.

" Thanks for loaning me your ride until we get the insurance straightened out to get Nat's replaced."

" No problem. Do you need to go anywhere before we head back to my place?"

" Target. I need to get Owen a carseat so I'm able to pick him up from daycare when I get off work."

" Why don't you just take him on the train?"

" Have you ever tried to change trains with a toddler? Even when I'm with Natalie it's nearly impossible."

" We're going to Molly's after this...your treat," insisted Jay, pulling into the Target parking lot.

* * *

" Do you even know what you're doing or what you're looking for?" asked Jay as Will grabbed a cart and headed towards the baby department.

" That's why God invented Google," Will proclaimed.

" How about this one?" offered Jay, pointing to a particular seat.

" First of all that's a booster seat. Owen's too young for that. Second of all it's pink."

" Obviously I don't know my ass from my elbow when it comes to car seats."

" Once you've seen a child die in an MVC because their parent put them in the wrong seat you never forget it."

" Nevermind," replied Jay, looking at a price tag.

Holy shit. Do they install it for that price?"

" I wish. They're a pain in the ass to install so I'm offering Hermann $20 to do it when we get to the bar," admitted Will.

* * *

" So are you ready for all of this?" Jay questioned, as they passed a display of tiny socks and hats.

" Honestly? I'm excited and terrified all at the same time. I love Owen and Natalie more than I thought was ever possible. To think that I'm going to be responsible for an actual infant that shares my DNA? Can you imagine a miniature version of me?"

" God...I feel sorry for Natalie," joked Jay, causing Will to smack him,

" Truthfully I can't wait," Will confessed, pausing to pick up a onesie.

" If you're going to look at baby clothes I'm walking to Molly's," scoffed Jay.

" This one says ' I Love My Uncle'."

" Uncle Jay just sounds...weird," he responded before grabbing another onesie.

Now this one I approve of," Jay said, holding up a Cub's onesie.

" Damn. I wonder if they have this in my size too," pondered Will as he grabbed a shirt that was Owen's size, featuring the Batman logo with an attached cape.

" Who are you and what have you done with my brother?" asked Jay as they headed for the registers.

" You should spend some time with Owen. He's in complete awe that his Will's brother is a cop."

" So are you okay with that? Being just 'his Will'?" questioned Jay as Will slid his debit card.

* * *

" Obviously I'd love to hear him call me Dad, but I'm not his father. It's not like Jeff was some piece of shit deadbeat that wanted nothing to do with his son. He died fighting for our country. I know you can sympathize with that. I don't want to take that away from him even if he's no longer living. It's not my place to insist he call me dad. That's a choice the three of us will make at some point. Regardless of whatever Owen chooses to call me, I'll always make sure he grows up knowing his birth father loved him even if they never met. Jeff loved Owen more than life itself, before he was even born."

" Okay. That's enough. You need a drink. You're sounding like a fucking Hallmark card now," declared Jay, putting their purchases into the trunk of the Jeep.

" To Molly's it is!"

* * *

Will reluctantly rolled over the next morning, wanting to throw his alarm clock out the window as it went off. Though he had only consumed one drink, he and Jay had stayed at the bar, talking far longer than either of them had planned. He was thankful to find that Jay had left him a pot of fresh coffee. After taking a quick shower, Will pulled on a set of scrubs and packed a few sets of extra clothes to take to Natalie's after work. After filling his favorite travel mug with coffee, Will grabbed the keys to the Jeep and headed downstairs. He smiled as he looked into the rearview mirror, Owen's new car seat in sight. As Will pulled away from curb, his heart filled with joy knowing that there would be an infant seat accompanying the toddler soon. While his shift didn't start until 7:00a, he was hoping to visit with Natalie beforehand. It didn't take long for him to reach Gaffney Medical Center. Will pulled Jay's Jeep into his own parking spot. The minute he entered the ED, Will realized a visit with Natalie was out of the question.

"Maggie. What's going on?"

" School bus took an off ramp too fast. Please tell me you're working today," she pleaded.

" Take my stuff to my locker. Where am I going?"

" Choi could use a hand in Baghdad. The patient is a mess and Rhodes is stuck in the OR."

" Got it."

* * *

Several hours later Will found himself signing off on his last patient.

" Hey April, I'm going upstairs to see Nat for a few minutes."

" Did Rhodes ever find you?" she asked, watching as Will's face fell.

" No. What's going on?"

" He just wanted to let you know he and Maccarin signed off on sending Natalie to the step down unit." Will breathed a sigh of relief.

" Thanks April," he responded, grabbing a Target bag from his locker before catching the elevator. His phone buzzed, a text from Connor popping up, revealing Natalie's room number. 371. It was just a short walk from the elevators to her room. At first Will thought Natalie was asleep, but found her eyes open as he shut the door behind him.

" Did I wake you up?" he asked, giving her a kiss.

" One of the nurses left a doppler for me. I've been so uncomfortable in this bed I can't sleep, but hearing her heartbeat calms me."

" So we're having a girl?" Will challenged, dropping the bag in the bedside chair before kicking off his shoes.

" What are you doing?"

" Scoot over," he commanded, climbing into bed beside her.

" Don't you have work to do?" she asked, laying her head onto Will's broad shoulder.

" They won't miss me for a little bit. You need to be sleeping."

" What's in the bag?" Natalie wondered curiously.

" Jay and I went shopping last night."

" How in the hell did you manage to drag him into a Target? Hell, for that matter, what were you doing at Target yourself?"

" Jay's lending me his Jeep until your insurance gets things straightened out."

" That still doesn't explain how you two wound up at a Target?"

" I got Owen a new car seat so I can pick him up from daycare."

" Are you serious?" asked Natalie, taken aback at a seemingly small gesture.

" Helen and I worked out a schedule so she'll have him all day tomorrow since I'm working the graveyard shift. After I catch some sleep I'll pick him up at daycare."

" You don't have to do all that."

" Nat. I'm not just marrying you. I'm marrying you and Owen. He's a part of my life. Biological or not, Owen is my son. I know that's a conversation for another day, but I want to be in his life as much as possible."

" Stop it...you're going to make me cry."

" What you need to do is sleep! The quicker you heal, the quicker you're discharged and I can take care of you, Owen, and Penelope."

" We are not naming our daughter Penelope."

" How about Marjorie?"

" We don't want our poor kid to get made fun of because her daddy named her something crazy," she muttered as Will wrapped his arm around her, bringing her closer.

" Love you," he whispered, kissing her forehead.

* * *

 _Oh...and by the way. I'm 99.9% I'll "reveal" the gender next chapter...keep reading and reviewing! Stay tuned!_


	7. High

I swear I intended this chapter to end with an ultrasound, but as I typed everything out, I realized this chapter was starting to run long. I write mostly now during my lunch breaks at my second job, then transcribe to the laptop at home...and I didn't realize how much I had actually written. I think you'll appreciate me stopping the chapter when I did. The next chapter is going to get deep and examine Will's precise role in Natalie and Owen's lives, where Will considers home...and ending with a giant cliffhanger you'll kill me for. (No one is dying! I promise!) With that being said, I've always said I don't write fluff. I've been toying with a new story idea for the past few days after the last Med episode...and let's face it. I don't envision this ending well with Will being a CI to catch this guy. Someone will wind up hurt in the take down...and I have a feeling it's going to be our favorite ginger-ed Halstead! So I'll be balancing both stories at once! Keep your eye out for the new story- we'll see how much progress I make on it this week! Until then...enjoy!

* * *

 _Beautiful dawn_  
 _Lights up the shore for me_  
 _There is nothing else in the world_  
 _I'd rather wake up and see with you_  
 _Beautiful dawn_  
 _I'm just chasing time again_  
 _Thought I would die a lonely man_  
 _In endless night_

 _But now I'm high_  
 _Running wild among all the stars above_  
 _Sometimes it's hard to believe you remember me...  
~James Blunt~ High_

* * *

Will glanced at the clock, eager to pick up Owen from daycare and go home. It was strange. At some point Natalie's home had begun to feel like his as well, little by little. A shirt here, a toothbrush there. A stash of extra scrubs in her bottom drawer.

" Halstead. We've got multiple GSWs coming in. I need you to glove up," Stohl barked, still salty over the nap Will had taken with Natalie.

" Not my problem. Davies just got here. It's third shift's problem, not mine. If I stay here any longer I'll be late picking up Owen."

" Have fun playing house," Stohl replied, fuming with anger as his face reddened. Will grabbed his bag, half tempted to flip Stohl off as he left. When he reached the daycare downstairs, he spied Owen engrossed with a puzzle.

" Hey Dr. Halstead. Are you here for Owen?" asked a daycare worker.

" I am."

" Owen. Time to go home!" Owen looked up, his face beaming as he spotted Will in the doorway.

" Will!" screamed the toddler.

" Get your bookbag bud," reminded Will. Owen grabbed his bag and ran excitedly to Will.

" Is Gamma taking me to her house again?"

" Nope. We're going home," Will jubilantly announced, hoisting Owen on to his shoulders.

" How we getting there?" Owen asked as they entered the ED.

" I borrowed my brother's car. Do you remember Jay?"

" The policeman?"

" That's right. Maybe we can visit him sometime."

" Police car?"

" I'm sure we can," answered Will as they walked past a still seething Stohl.

" Is that the troll man?" Owen asked loudly, leaving Will desperate to hold in his laughter.

" Good night Dr. Stohl," he managed to choke out, holding in the laughter until he and Owen were outside. He quickly fished the keys out of his pocket before putting Owen down.

" Climb up in your seat buddy so I can get the straps fixed," ordered Will, adjusting the harness like Hermann had shown him the night before.

" I'm hungry. What we eating for dinner?"

" I have no clue what's in the fridge. Let's look when we get home and if there isn't anything that we can make, we'll order in," said Will, turning the car on.

" Was that the troll guy?"

" It was," replied Will with a laugh as they pulled out of the parking lot.

* * *

It was just a short fifteen minute car ride before they pulled up in front of Natalie's brownstone. Will leaned into the backseat, unbuckling the toddler before grabbing their bags. Owen hopped down onto the sidewalk, instantly grabbing for Will's hand as they climbed the stairs.

" I hungry. What are we eating for dinner?"

" I have no clue what's in the fridge. Let's look," decided Will, pulling his key to Natalie's place out of his pocket. Owen hung his bag up on a hook and made a beeline for his toys. Will dropped his bag near the stairs then entered the kitchen.

" How about some mac and cheese?"

" Yes!" the toddler shouted enthusiastically. Will reached into a cupboard by the stove and pulled out a pot.

" Can I have apples Will?"

" Sounds good to me."

About twenty minutes later, Owen had polished off two helpings of mac and cheese as well as an apple.

" Bath time!" Will declared.

" I'm not dirty!" protested Owen.

" I think Mommy bought you new bubbles last week…" Owen shrieked in delight, shedding his clothes as he bounded up the stairs to the bathroom. Will grabbed his things and headed upstairs.

* * *

" I put bubbles in Will!" Owen yelled from the master bathroom. Will dropped his bags and entered the bathroom to find a half empty container of bubbles on the floor and a naked Owen sitting in a pool of soap. Will reluctantly turned on the water, knowing the mess that would soon be made. He couldn't help but laugh as the bubbles consumed the toddler, threatening to spill out of the tub.

" Let's Facetime Mommy, okay?" It only took a few second for Natalie to answer his call.

" Thanks for leaving me your iPad."

" You're welcome. Wanna guess who found those new bubbles we bought the other day?"

" Oh no," stated Natalie, nervously laughing. Will flipped the screen around for Natalie to see.

" Owen James!" she exclaimed.

" Will give me a bath!"

" I can see that. Now don't cause any more trouble for Will," she ordered.

" I love you Momma!"

" I love you too Owen."

" Momma, I love Will!"

" Me too. We're pretty lucky, aren't we?"

" Yup! When you coming home Momma?"

" In a few days baby. I miss you so much!"

" Me too!" shouted Owen before disappearing in the mound of bubbles.

" I love you Nat. I better go before he floods the bathroom."

" I love you too. You're an amazing father."

* * *

Much later after Will had put Owen to bed, he found himself too sitting in bed, attempting to get caught up on the work that had fallen to the wayside from the past few days. However, he kept going back to how Natalie had ended their conversation. Parenting as a whole had been weighing heavily on his mind as of late. While his mother had been nothing short of a saint before she died, she was often left with the burdens left behind by their alcoholic father. Pat Halstead was a piss poor excuse of a father- Will couldn't recall the last time he had seen him remotely sober. He had no real male role models growing up. How Will managed to emerge mostly unscathed in his teen years was amazing. Through all of the bullying at school and taunting from his father, Will managed to power through college and medical school.

Sure he liked to have fun back then, too much to be precise. He had somehow managed to land in one piece, his spirit albeit somewhat shattered as he took the job at Gaffney. Will knew he loved Owen and his unborn child, but in that precise moment he found himself questioning whether or not he could be a great father. How was he supposed to be a good dad when his had failed him so often?

* * *

Days later and Will still couldn't get Natalie's words out of his head. 'You're a great father.' Was he? He had nothing to compare it to. Will did his best to shake it off as he entered the ED, ready to start a new shift.

" Davies. What are you doing here? I thought Stohl had permanently stuck you on nights."

" I was. Dr. Rhodes and Dr. Maccarin want you upstairs. Goodwin called me in and said your shift needed covered."

" Thanks Tyler. I owe you," he declared, making a mad dash for the elevator. When he had talked with Natalie last night, nothing was amiss. Once he got to Natalie's room he found her sitting in a chair, free of wires and now wearing a t-shirt and leggings. She, Connor, and Dana were in the midst of a conversation, but stopped as Will entered.

" What's going on?"

" Dr. Maccarin and I feel confident in signing discharge papers," offered Connor.

" Seriously?" Will questioned.

" There are stipulations, mainly on my part," Maccarin declared.

You're almost to the end of your first trimester. Once you enter the second trimester some of the risks we've been watching for will decline. Regardless you'll still be classified as being high risk until we deliver. We'll talk more about that the further along you get. With that being said, I want you on complete bed rest until your next appointment. Anything more than a trip to the bathroom needs to be supervised preferably. Absolutely no heavy lifting and that unfortunately includes Owen," Dana mandated.

" As far as being from a surgical standpoint, I agree with Dr. Maccarin's restrictions. When you come in for your follow up with her, I'll do a quick ultrasound to see how your liver is healing. You can have Will take out the stitches in a few days," Connor stated before exiting into the hallway, Will following close behind.

" What's up?"

" If you repeat any of what I'm about ready to say I'll kill you," replied Will, his eyes glistening.

I can never repay you for what you've done. You saved my family and I'm forever grateful…" Will paused, unable to find his words. Connor stepped forward, giving Will a quick embrace.

" If you ever tell anyone I went soft momentarily, I'll kill you."

" Deal," replied Will with a laugh.


	8. Little Wonders

_Our lives are made_  
 _In these small hours_  
 _These little wonders_  
 _These twists & turns of fate_  
 _Time falls away_  
 _But these small hours_  
 _These small hours still remain_

 _All of my regret_  
 _Will wash away some how_  
 _But I can not forget_  
 _The way I feel right now..._

 _~Rob Thomas~ Little Wonders_

* * *

 ** _Author's Note_** : So I'm evil and left you with a cliff hanger...again. My mind is going in a million different directions with the current Will and Natalie storyline happening on Med. I don't have a good feeling about it at all. I think they'll still get married, but the fact Will is so worried he landed in the ED, things are going to get worse before they get better. Enough of that. So I'm working on the next chapter of this story as well as beginning to work on the new story, which will be my predictions/interpretation of what is to come on Med. Please continue to read and review! The reviews truly mean so much! Enjoy!

* * *

" Home sweet home," Will declared, pulling the Jeep up to the brownstone.

" Why does that feel like it was the longest car ride ever?" Natalie tiredly lamented.

" I'll have you in your bed in no time," he said, getting out of the Jeep and walking over to Natalie's side, opening the door.

" Lean on me," Will insisted, slinging their bags over his shoulder. One by one, they took each step of the brownstone's stairs until they reached the inside foyer.

" I don't think I can make it upstairs to bed. My body feels like I just ran a marathon walking up those stairs." Before Natalie knew what was happening, she felt Will's strong arms lift her from the ground, wrapping one around her back and another under her legs.

" Let's get you to bed," Will said, starting up the stairs.

" Don't drop me," Natalie joked, as they neared the top.

" Wouldn't dream of it." He carried Natalie to the bedside before standing her on her feet so he could turn down the covers. Natalie immediately climbed in, motioning for Will to join her.

" Do you want anything?"

" Just for you to lay here with me until I fall asleep."

" That I can manage," answered Will.

* * *

Once Natalie had fallen asleep, Will instantly grabbed his iPad. He was intent on making a schedule so Natalie had someone at home with her when he couldn't be. Between Maggie, April, Monique, and Helen almost all of the time was covered. It killed him not being able to care for her all of the time, but he knew he needed to save his time off for when the baby arrived. He knew Helen would be dropping Owen off around dinner time so he swapped out his tablet for his laptop. Unfortunately he still had to finish up his charting and various other work related tasks. After only about thirty minutes, Will found himself distracted, scrolling through pages of baby products. There were some that seemed like necessities, while others seemed hard to fathom what they were even used for. He made a mental note to ask Natalie about some of the more bizarre products before returning to the work in front of him.

* * *

It was nearly 3pm when Natalie finally rose from her nap. Turning onto her side, she found Will to be gone. She say up slowly and set off for the bathroom. When she returned, Will was once again sitting on the bed.

" Where did you go?" Natalie asked.

" Jay stopped by and we watched the Cubs game," he explained.

How was your nap?"  
" Best sleep I've ever gotten since Owen was an infant."

" I guess we better enjoy it while we can, right?"

" Ugh. There were nights I wondered if he'd ever fall asleep."

" Can I ask you something?"

" Of course."

" What the hell is a Nose Freida?"

* * *

Under Will's careful watch Natalie made it downstairs sometime later in anticipation of Helen bringing Owen home. It wasn't very long before Owen bounded through the front door with Helen close behind, her arms weighed down with grocery bags.

" I'm so happy to have you home. You look great," she said, dropping the bags to give Natalie a hug.

" Let me help you with those," Will offered.

Owen, be extra careful around Mommy, okay?" The boy nodded. Will grabbed the grocery bags and followed Helen into the kitchen.

" I thought I'd make some easy meals for while Natalie is recovering," offered Helen as she started to unpack the bags.

" That sounds great. She's supposed to be on bedrest so this will make it much easier for her. Thanks."

" Bedrest? From her surgery?"

" Huh?" questioned Will, putting a package of chicken breasts in the fridge.

"You said she's on bedrest. Is that because of the surgery?" Will was silent as he realized what he had just said.

" Oh my goodness...is she pregnant?" Will's eyes dodged Helen's stare.

She's pregnant?" Will sighed.

" Nat is going to kill me. We were waiting to tell everyone until she's out of the first trimester."

" Is the baby okay? With the crash...the surgery...all the medicine?" Helen asked worriedly.

" We made sure everything was and still is carefully monitored," he replied, trying to reassure Helen. She stopped unbagging groceries and embraced Will.

" Thank you for giving me another grandchild," she said, teary eyed.

* * *

" What's going on?" Natalie's voice filled the kitchen, catching both Helen and Will off guard.

" What are you doing up?" challenged Will.

" You told her, didn't you?"

" Not intentionally," he confessed, watching as Helen carefully embraced Natalie.

" How far along are you?"

" A little over 10 weeks," declared Natalie.

" I'm so happy for you!" said Helen as Owen ran into the room.

" I'm hungry!" he shouted.

" Why don't you ask Gram to make you a snack so Will and Mommy can talk?" suggested Natalie.

" Are you mad?" Will asked, following Natalie back into the living room.

* * *

" About Helen finding out? No. I wanted to show you something Owen did at daycare," she said, handing Will a piece of paper before sitting back down. Will studied the paper that contained a drawing that Owen had made. At first, the scribbles made no sense, until he read the labels written by a daycare worker.

Mommy. Owen. Daddy.

" There was a note attached. Chris wrote that when she asked him who Daddy was he repeatedly said your name," Natalie explained, watching as Will studied the drawing intently.

" How do you feel about it?" he asked her.

" I was going to ask you the same," replied a tearful Natalie.

" What's wrong? Nat...he never has to call me Daddy. I'll always love him just the same."

" Pregnancy hormones at their best I guess. I knew this day was coming. I'm just so...conflicted."

" Obviously I never met Jeff, but from your stories I know he would have been an amazing father. I don't want to take that away from him or Owen."

" I know," she said, pausing to wipe at her eyes.

I've laid awake lately, thinking about Jeff and how he'd feel about this."

" And?"

" I don't know. Part of me is hurting, knowing that Jeff never had the chance to know Owen and vice versa. The other part of me is immensely grateful that to know how lucky both Owen and I are to have found someone willing to come into our lives, accept our baggage, and love a child like their own. To Owen, you are his dad. You love him unconditionally and for that, I am eternally indebted to you."

" I never want to take Jeff from you or Owen. To do so would be asinine. Regardless of what he calls me or if we never share the same last name, I will ALWAYS love Owen. I might not be his biological father, but claiming Owen as my son means something, quite possibly more so than our baby you're carrying. Owen has made me a father. No other child or children we ever have will bestow that honor on me. Our baby might belong to me biologically, but it will never take away or break the bond and love I have for Owen." Before he could finish his sentence, Natalie burst into tears.

" What's wrong?" Helen asked, running in from the kitchen.

" Hormones," Will declared, embracing Natalie.

" Can I do anything?" offered Helen.

" Captain Crunch," she wailed.

I want some Captain Crunch."

* * *

Just a few weeks later, Natalie found herself standing in front of her closet, trying to decide on an outfit to wear.

" I never showed this early with Owen," she bemoaned.

Nothing fits me."

" We can go shopping after your appointments," offered Will who was sitting on the bed.

" I'm taking you up on that," she said, grabbing one of Will's Chicago Cubs shirts she had accidentally shrunk.

" You look amazing," he offered as she tugged on a pair of yoga pants."

" You're just saying that…" she started.

" Natalie. You'd look beautiful even if all you were wearing was a burlap sack," Will stated, walking over to where Natalie stood and placed his hands on her protruding bump.

I love you...but if you don't put on some shoes we're going to be late to see Maccarin."

" What did you eat for lunch?" Natalie asked hesitatingly as they pulled into Will's parking spot.

" That leftover pizza from the other night. Why?" he asked, opening her door.

" You smell like...it had onions on it, didn't it?" Natalie asked wearily, walking into the ED.

" It did…"

" I'm gonna be sick," she declared, frantically searching for the nearest restroom. For the most part the morning sickness hadn't been too severe, but it was apparently set off by just the mere scent of onions.

* * *

" What's going on?" Connor asked Will who was standing outside the ladies room.

" Apparently morning sickness isn't exclusive to just the morning," remarked Will.

" What medical school did you go to Einstein?"

" You suck," declared Will, as the bathroom door swung open and Natalie emerged.

" Sorry about the onions," Will said apologetically, kissing her as he handed her a bottle of water.

" What's going on?" she asked, taking a long drink of water.

" I just got done with a trauma and have some free time before my next surgery. Can I snag you two before Maccarin does?"

" Gives me more time to shop," Natalie joked as Connor ushered them into an exam room.

" Thanks man," groaned Will, standing beside the gurney.

" The incision looks great," Connor commented after rolling her shirt up.

I was afraid you'd ruin my handiwork."

" Give me some credit. I almost became a plastic surgeon."

" You guys are awful," Natalie pointed out as Maccarin walked in.

* * *

" Are you poaching my patient Rhodes?"

" Wouldn't dream of it. Do you want first dibs?" Connor asked, pulling the ultrasound machine over.

" Go right ahead," Dana insisted, handing him a pair of gloves.

How have you been feeling Natalie? Any morning sickness?"

" Apparently the scent of...Will began.

" Don't say it!" Natalie threatened.

" I'll take that as a yes," replied Maccarin.

Any spotting or bleeding?" Natalie shook her head no.

" Liver looks like it's healing nicely," Connor commented, studying the screen.

Dana...am I seeing this right?" He cautiously turned the screen away from Natalie and Will's view.

" Move the transducer a little to the left," Maccarin ordered, staring intently at the screen before pressing various buttons.

" What's going on? Is there something wrong with the baby?" Will asked fearfully. Neither Connor nor Dana said a word as they stared the screen, watching the images as he moved the transducer at her unspoken commands.

" I don't know how we missed this," muttered Dana.

" Will somebody PLEASE tell us what's going on?" demanded a distressed Natalie, grabbing for Will's hand. With the push of a button, Dana turned the screen back around.

" It looks like you've got a stowaway," announced Connor.

* * *

 _Oh my god...it was so hard for me to write the second half of this chapter. Writing emotionally charged, cutesy fluffy scenes is so outside of my wheelhouse! I know, I know. I got myself into this mess haha. Seriously though, I don't do fluff. Review to boost my ego if anything haha._


	9. King

_Author's note: sorry it took me so long to update this gem. I got so caught up in writing A Reason to Fight...and now, if you've missed it, there's a THIRD Will/Natalie story I just started called Bleed Out. What can I say? I like a challenge. Fair warning though- I've stopped watching Chicago Med currently. The way they're handling Will and Natalie's relationship is driving me insane and I certainly don't need any extra help in that department. I'm sure I'll wind up binge-ing it before the season ends, but for the moment, I value my sanity more than the hot mess they've made out of Manstead. I hope you enjoy the chapter. Please read and review! Enjoy!  
_

* * *

 _Hold me close, closer than ever before_  
 _Love me like you won't let go_  
 _With all that I know, with all that I am_  
 _Love me like you won't let go_

 _When you strip away everything_  
 _You in my arms, I feel like a king_  
 _Holding you close_  
 _I love you like I won't let go  
~Blue October~ King_

* * *

" Twins?" Natalie and Will said in unison, staring at the screen.

" We must have missed it during the surgery with all of the chaos," Connor reasoned, handing the ultrasound transducer back to Dana.

Congrats guys. My part is done for now. We'll talk later." Once Connor was gone, Dr. Maccarin turned back towards Will and Natalie.

" Obviously, this ultrasound is going to be a little more in depth than we had planned," she commented. Natalie and Will sat frozen, still trying to process the news.

" Let's start off by getting a better look at this little trouble maker," quipped Dana.

" I guess this explains why your clothes don't fit," Will muttered bluntly.

" I'm going to be HUGE!" Natalie wailed.

" Stop it. You're going to be glowing and radiant."

" Twin A here is measuring a little on the smaller side. That might explain why we didn't initially see it on the ultrasound. Heartbeat is strong, which is what matter most. You're measuring between 13-14 weeks right now."

" I know it's still pretty early gestation wise, but are you able to to determine gender yet?" Will asked excitedly.

" I can try my best," Dana commented.

" Do you want to know now?" Will asked Natalie, his face gleaming like a small child's on Christmas.

" Definitely. That way we can spend the next six months arguing over names instead of waiting until they're born. I had the worst time naming Owen."

" There's no denying that Twin A is a boy. That certainly isn't the umbilical cord."

" A true Halstead boy- causing trouble before he's even born," joked Will.

" Let's have a look at the second baby," Dana declared.

Twin B is definitely bigger than Twin A…and a diva at that! Looks like Twin B is a little girl!"

" A little girl," Will said, staring blankly at the screen, obviously still in shock.

" What about work?" asked Natalie much to Will's chagrin.

" I'll consult with Dr. Rhodes of course, but I'm okay with you starting off with some short shifts before I see you back at 16 weeks. Nothing too strenuous. No heavy lifting. If there should be any reason for concern you will be put back on bedrest, understand?"

" Of course. I'm sure Will is going to be watching me like a hawk," Natalie declared as Dana finished the ultrasound, handing Natalie a strand of sonogram photos.

" Damn straight," Will said firmly, helping Natalie into an upright position.

" I'll see you back in two weeks and then we'll schedule you to for a 20 week anatomy scan then as well."

" Thanks Dana," Will said.

* * *

" Can we stop for something to eat before we go shopping? I'm starving," Natalie asked as they exited back into the ED.

" What sounds good?" Before Natalie could answer, April and Maggie approached them.

" How did everything go?" questioned April.

" Did Maccarin do an ultrasound?" asked Maggie.

" Yes," replied Will, remaining tight lipped.

" Do you know what you're having?"

" We do," Natalie replied coyly.

" So?"

" We don't want to tell anyone just yet."

" You should do a gender reveal party!" Maggie suggested excitedly.

" Didn't you want to do one for Owen?" asked April.

" Jeff and I were planning one before…"

" What the hell is a gender reveal party?" asked a clueless Will.

" It's exactly what it sounds like," replied Maggie.

" Why don't you two plan the party then Will and I will take care of the actual reveal," suggested Natalie.

" It would be a lot easier if we knew what color scheme to go with," Maggie hinted.

" Not happening," replied Natalie.

" You're impossible," replied the charge nurse as she and April walked away.

* * *

It wasn't until Will and Natalie were back in Jay's Jeep that the news seemed to sink in.

" Holy shit...we're having two babies," Will said, staring at the steering wheel.

" Are you ready for that?"

" Are you?" asked Will, starting the car.

" I don't know if it will sink in until the day they're born," Natalie confessed.

" I think it will sink in as we're buying double of everything," Will joked.

" Can we get Chinese?" asked Natalie, changing the subject.

" Any particular restaurant?"

" That place a few blocks over. The Lucky Panda."

" I don't think I've ever been there," confessed Will, making a left turn out onto the street.

" How have you worked at Gaffney all these years and never have been to The Lucky Panda? They've got the best egg rolls and even hand make their fortune cookies."

" As low as they have decent lo mein and crab rangoon I'm sold."

" Oooh. Crab rangoon sounds so good!" exclaimed Natalie as Will made a right hand turn. The Lucky Panda was just a few blocks down. Will managed to flawlessly parallel park in front of the restaurant knowing Jay would kill him if he left the tiniest scratch on the Jeep. He hopped out and rushed to the passenger's side of the SUV, opening the door for Natalie.

* * *

" It smells so good!" she stated.

" Why don't you find a table and I'll go order?" Will suggested.

" I'll take two beef egg rolls, fried rice with General Tsao's chicken, an order of crab rangoon...and a large root beer.

" You've got it," he said, stepping up to the counter. Natalie quickly grabbed a table near the front window and sat down. She carefully pulled out the sonogram pictures from her purse, looking at each one longingly. Twins. They were going to have twins. A daughter and a second son.

" Penny for your thoughts?" Will's voice caused her to look up.

" We're going to need a bigger car," she said randomly, taking a long drink of root beer.

" I refuse to drive a minivan," Will responded.

" So a third row SUV then?" questioned Natalie.

" Who are we telling?" asked Will, changing the subject.

" About having twins? Helen and Jay obviously."

" What about work?"

" Other than Connor and Dana? I think we should just wait until the gender reveal."

" What in the hell is a gender reveal anyways?" Will asked again.

" It's just a fun way to announce to your friends and family what the baby's gender is. Jeff wanted me to get a smoke bomb in the shape of a football and send it to him so he could reveal it in Iraq on Facebook Live…"

" So how are we doing this thing?" asked Will as the food was delivered to their table.

" See that's the thing. It's easy to do with one baby. The fact that we'd be revealing not only the genders, but the fact we're having twins makes it tricky," she explained, grabbing for a set of chopsticks.

* * *

" I don't see why we can't just tell people we're having twins," commented Will, opening his lo-mein.

" You're no fun," Natalie said jokingly, digging into her chicken.

" How about I leave the actual planning up to you?" he suggested.

" That's a great idea," she mumbled with a mouthful of crab rangoon.

" So where exactly are we going shopping?"

" There are a few places in that outlet mall near the pier."

" Do I have to come...or can I just give you my credit card and meet up with Jay for a beer?"

" You do realize how dangerous that is, right?" Natalie said with a sinister smile.

" Do you realize how much I hate clothes shopping? That is unless you're buying lingerie and need me to watch you model it," suggested Will.

" You're impossible."

" I'm a man."

" I think that's pretty obvious at this point. There's a sports bar in the complex. You two can go there."

" Thank you," Will said, giving Natalie a kiss.

" Besides. With all the clothes I'm going to buy I'll need both of you to carry everything to the car," she stated.

" What did I just get myself into?" Will asked, face palming in mid bite.


	10. Speechless

Author's note: So sorry it took so long to write this chapter! I got wrapped up in other fics. Enjoy...and perhaps you should ride the mechanical bull next time haha. As always, read, enjoy, and click that little button at the bottom/leave me some love!

* * *

 _You take the breath out of my lungs_  
 _Can't even fight it_  
 _And all of the words, out of my mouth_  
 _Without even trying_

 _And I'm speechless_  
 _Staring at you standing there in that dress_  
 _What it's doing to me ain't a secret_  
 _'Cause watching you is all that I can do_

 _And I'm speechless_  
 _You already know that you're my weakness_  
 _After all this time I'm just as nervous_  
 _Every time you walk into the room_  
 _I'm speechless..._  
 _~Dan+Shay~Speechless_

* * *

Will had just dropped Natalie off to shop when he got a text from Jay saying he had just arrived at the bar just down the street. He managed to luck into a parking spot just a few feet away from the restaurants nearby. After feeding the meter a handful of quarters, Will entered the bar, spying Jay sitting at the end.

" Hey man, what's up?" Jay asked as he stood and hugged his younger brother.

" I'll have whatever he's drinking," Will said to the bartender before they sat down.

" How's Nat? You guys were at the hospital earlier, weren't you?"

" Rhodes says her liver looks good."

" What about that hot baby doctor?"

" Dr. Maccarin?" asked Will as the bartender sat a beer down in front of him.

" Yeah. That's the one."

" First of all, she's married. Second of all, yes we did see her as well."

" I swear I wasn't really checking her out," protested Jay.

" Sure you weren't," remarked Will.

" So how is the baby doing?"

" They're doing just fine." Jay paused, his beer in mid-air. Will was silent, allowing for his brother to take a drink.

" What did you say?" Jay asked, slowly taking a sip.

" We're having twins," replied Will, watching in amusement as Jay spit out his beer all over his t-shirt.

* * *

" You're having what?" he asked, wiping beer off his face.

" Twins. You know...two babies."

" I know what twins are smartass. How? I thought there was only one in there."

" Your niece was hiding behind your nephew," Will said, taking another drink.

" A boy AND a girl…" Jay said to himself, trying to digest the news.

Are you two ready for that?"

" That's a hard no. It was definitely a surprise for sure. I'm still trying to process it. Thankfully we've got some time to get used to the idea."

" But they're okay?"

" They're a little on the small side, but that's pretty common with multiples."

" Damn," replied Jay, staring at his beer.

" You're killing me. I was just getting used to the idea of having a nephew. Now I'm dealing with a niece and TWO nephews. Man… done like a true Halstead. Pop always used to say go big or go home. I'd say you went big."

" Hey now. You'll get to be the fun uncle that feeds Owen icecream til he pukes and sneak him Mountain Dews. Same for the twins once they're old enough. The difference is that you can send them home when you're done with them. We can't," joked Will.

* * *

" How old does Owen have to be before I can buy him his first BB gun and take him to the shooting range?"

" That one's up to Natalie," replied Will.

" I still can't get passed you being engaged, having a stepson, and two more kids on the way. I always envisioned you staying a bachelor."

" That may have been true, but then I met Nat."

Nearly two hours later Will felt his phone buzz in his pocket.

" Nat's done shopping and needs me to pick her up," explained Will as he stood.

" Wait. What about the tab?" asked Jay.

" You can get it. Between Natalie's shopping spree and the fact that I'm going to be a father of three soon, I'm short on funds." Will walked out to the Jeep with a smile while Jay stayed inside and begrudgingly pulled out his wallet.

* * *

" Are you sure you don't need to stay home and rest longer?" Will argued as they got dressed for work.

" Not happening," she responded, tugging on the lone maternity scrub top she had kept after having Owen."  
" When are we doing that gender reveal thing?" Will asked as they walked downstairs. Owen was already dressed and playing with his trains.

" This Friday at Kelani's," explained Natalie as she pulled her hair into a ponytail.

" That's only three days away. Are you sure April and Maggie are going to make it that long?"

" They will, especially if you don't tell them first."

" I'll do my best," conceded Will, grabbing all three of their bags.

" You better or you'll be sorry!" taunted Natalie, before grabbing Owen's hand so they could all go out and get in the Jeep.

* * *

True to Will's intuition, Maggie and April spent the rest of the week attempting to get him to spill his guts and confess the gender.

" Are you sure you don't want to tell us?" begged Maggie Friday afternoon.

" Natalie would kill me," confessed Will.

" That I guys will find out soon enough," responded Natalie as she and Will walked through the ED towards the parking lot.

" See you at Kelani's!" April yelled as the two made their way to Jay's Jeep. Will held open the door for Natalie, watching as she sank tiredly into the passenger's seat.

" Are you sure you're not too tired? We can always do this another day," said Will as he climbed in and started the engine.

" I've got the next two days off and I plan on napping. A lot. Besides, Maggie and April would kill us."

" This is true," replied Will as he drove towards the townhouse.

* * *

They arrived home not even ten minutes later. Owen was out with the nanny leaving the house extremely quiet. Natalie made her way upstairs with Will close behind her. She threw her scrucs into a nearby hamper then walked over to the closet where the plethora of new maternity clothes she bought were hanging. She pulled out a new sundress and slid into it as gracefully as one could when being pregnant.

" You look amazing," Will said, soaking in all of her radiant beauty.

" I look like I swallowed a giant basketball," Natalie said, grabbing a pair of cushy gladiator sandals before sitting down on the bed.

" No you don't. You look absolutely stunning," remarked Will as he pulled on a grey polo shirt and khaki shorts.

" Damn!" Natalie said out of the blue, her voice full of pain.

" Are you okay?" Will asked worriedly, rushing over to the bed where Natalie sat cradling her stomach.

" Your son just kicked me in my bladder. Hard," she explained, grimacing before grabbing Will's hand and placing it on her bump. Will was speechless as he felt his son's small kicks.

" Someone didn't want to be left out," she remarked, placing Will's other hand near her side, their daughter playfully kicking.

" This has got to be one of the most amazing feelings," he confessed. They stayed sitting in silence for a few moments, relishing in their babies' first movements.

" Can you do me a favor?" Natalie asked.

" Anything."

" Can you fasten the straps on my sandals? I don't think I can reach them." Will leaned over and quickly buckled each one before looking to her bump.

" Stop kicking your poor Mom," he demaded with a smile.

" Why don't you go put the box in the back of the Jeep? I need to finish fixing my hair and touch up my makeup."

* * *

" Okay," agreed Will, walking downstairs still feeling elated over feeling both of the babies kick for the first time. A large box decorated in blue and pink polka dots sat by the front door. Will hoisted it over his shoulder and carried it outside, placing it into the trunk as he had been instructed. Behind him he heard the front door close. When Will turned around, Natalie was standing on the landing, looking absolutely stunning. He couldn't take his eyes off of her as she made her way down the stairs to him. Will soaked in every breathtaking detail, feeling speechless. Natalie was wearing a navy blue floral printed dress that accentuated her growing bump. Long dark curls cascaded down her shoulders, the sides done up in small braids which were fastened back by a bejeweled clip.

" You...you look absolutely gorgeous," declared Will, leaning in for a kiss. He found himself captivated by the scent of her perfume, one of his favorites of hers.

" Are you sure we don't have time to go back inside?" he asked seductively.

" We're already running late. Maggie and April have been texting me constantly, asking where we are."

" It's only 6:05p," Will noted, looking at his watch before helping Natalie into the car.

* * *

As soon as they pulled up to Kelani's, they were greeted by an impatient Maggie standing on the curb, staring at her phone.

" It's about time!" she lamented.

" I'm starving. Please tell me there's food in there," begged Natalie.

" Monique's sister made the best cookies and cupcakes, plus we've got a ton of delicious fresh fruit."

" I'm sold," replied Nat.

" Do you want me to carry that in?" asked Maggie, watching as Will pulled the box out.

" I've been instructed not to let you or April touch the box," he said.

" You guys act like we would peek or something," April said as they walked around the side of the building to the large patio. Maggie and April had outdone themselves with nearly every square inch decorated, including an intricare arc of pink and blue balloons as they entered.

" Where am I putting this?" asked Will.  
" Right there," April instructed.

" I need food before anything else happens," Natalie said with a laugh. Jay wandered over with a beer in hand for Will.

* * *

" Thank god you guys got here. Mags was on the verge of organizing a search party."

" The woman has no patience," Will declared, looking around the crowded patio.  
Natalie returned, carrying a plate full of fruit and cookies, Maggie and April close behind.  
" Do you know what's in the box?" Maggie casually asked Jay.

" I do...but I've been sworn to secrecy."

" You told Jay?"

" He's going to be an uncle," argued Will.

* * *

" Ready!" Natalie announced, having polished off all of the fruit on her plate.  
" Thank god," April and Maggie said in unison. The charge nurse whistled loudly, causing the crowd to become silent.  
" Before these two finally put us out of our misery, has everyone voted?"

" Voted?" asked Natalie, watching as slips of blue and pink paper came forward.

" Everyone guessed on the gender," explained April as Maggie counted the papers.

" What's the general consensus?" asked Will.

" 27 girl...and 19 say boy. Who didn't vote?" asked an annoyed Maggie.  
" I plead the fifth," shouted Connor.

" Rhodes knew?" Will and Natalie shrugged.  
" Doctor, patient confidentiallity," Connor declared.  
" Bullshit," called Maggie.

* * *

" Just open the damn box before Maggie has a coronary and I have to crack her chest," responded Connor, his demands illiciting a round of laughs.

" Okay, okay," Natalie joked, standing beside the box.  
Ready?" Collectively, Natalie and Will opened the large box, blue balloons popping out.

" I knew it!" declared Maggie, voices rising in excitement behind her. Meanwhile at the front of the crowd, Will struggled to pull the balloons out of the box.  
" What's wrong?" Maggie asked.  
" Got it...Natalie what possessed you to put the balloon weight in this?" asked Will, pulling out a second box that held the weight of the blue balloons. He opened the left side carefully, just enlugh to pull the balloons free before shoving the box closed. He and Natalie waited, wondering who, if anyone would realize there was a second box. All around them they could hear shouts of congratulations being offered. Of all those to first notice the second box was still there, it wound up being Sharon Goodwin who managed to shout above the noise.

* * *

" Why is there a second box?" A hush fell over the crowd, waiting for an answer.  
" We're having twins!" Natalie and Will shouted in unison, opening the box, allowing for the pink balloons to come out.


End file.
